Wednesday, July 17, 2013

(spc.rs) - The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, arrived on July 16th, 2013 for an irenic visit to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovac and Serbian Patriarch is accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, as well as Their Graces Bishops: Dr. Irinej of Backa, Longin of New Gracanica-Midwestern America, Teodosije of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija, then dean of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in Belgrade archpriest Vitaly Tarasyev, arhimandrite Arsenije, protopresbyter-stavrophor Dr. Radomir Popovic, rector of the Cetinje Seminary protopresbyter-stavrophor Gojko Perovic, as well as protodeacon Radomir Percevic and deacon Aleksandar Sekulic. The member of the delegation iss also Professor Vojislav Milovanovic, chief civil engineer of the Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava.

At the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, Patriarch Irinej and the delegation of the SOC were cordially welcomed by Metropolitan Pavel of Ryazan and Michael, first Vicar Bishop to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for the City of Moscow Archbishop Arsenije of Istrin; Vicar Bishop to Patriarch of Moscow Bishop Sava of Voskresensk; deputy director of the Department of External Church Relations (DECR) archpriest Nikolay Balashov; secretary of the DECR for inter-Orthodox relations archpriest Igor Jakimchuk and others. At the airport there was also the dean of the Representation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Moscow Bishop Antonije of Moravica as well as His Excellency Mr. Slavenko Terzic, ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the Russian Federation.

This irenic visit of Serbian Patriarch Irinej to the ROC will last until July 30th.

As always, Met. Hilarion was exceedingly direct in his address to the Catholic hierarchs assembled to discuss the Church and the family. It ...

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."